FaultScore report
Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 1990 Volkswagen Golf with NHTSA between 1995 and 2002. The largest single group is the seat belts.
10
Complaints
1
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
1 crashes, 0 fires
0 crashes, 2 fires · median 83,000 mi
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
DETACHMENT OF BUMPER COVER
DETACHMENT OF BUMPER COVER
HEATER CORE FAILURE
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.
Engine
NOTE: GASOLINE POWERED FUEL INJECTED VEHICLES. DURING WINTER PERIODS OF LOW TEMPERATURE WITH HIGH HUMIDITY, THE AIR PRE-HEATING SYSTEM MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT THROTTLE ICING DURING LONG DISTANCE DRIVING DUE TO PRE-HEATER VACUUM SWITCH CONTAMINATION. THIS COULD PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. CORRECTION: A DE-ICING KIT WILL BE INSTALLED IN AFFECTED VEHICLES.
Fuel System
FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR AT THE FUEL HOSE TO FUEL RAIL CONNECTION. ESCAPING FUEL COULD COME INTO CONTACT WITH HOT ENGINE COMPONENTS AND POSSIBLY CAUSE AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. CORRECTION: FUEL HOSE WHICH ATTACHES TO THE FUEL RAIL WILL BE REPLACED AND NEW SPRING TYPE HOSE CLAMPS WILL BE INSTALLED.
Brakes
VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITHOUT A PREHEATING TUBE SUPPORT BRACKET. AN UNSUPPORTED PREHEATING TUBE CAN COME INTO CONTACT AND CHAFE AGAINST THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LINE, EVENTUALLY RESULTING IN BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE. CORRECTION: VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED AND A PREHEATING TUBE SUPPORT BRACKET WILL BE INSTALLED IF NECESSARY.
Structure
CORROSION DUE TO ROAD SALT MAY PREVENT THE HOOD LATCH AND THE SAFETY CATCH FROM WORKING PROPERLY. THIS COULD RESULT IN HOOD FLY-UP WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION RESULTING IN OBSCURED DRIVER VISION AND A POSSIBLE CRASH. CORRECTION: OWNERS OF AFFECTED VEHICLES WILL BE ADVISED BY MAIL REGARDING THE NECESSITY FOR PERIODIC LUBRICATION OF THE ENGINE HOOD LATCH MECHANISM. DEALERS WILL BE ADVISED TO LUBRICATE THE ENGINE HOOD MECHANISM WHENEVER AN AFFECTED VEHICLE IS BEING SERVICED.
Heater And Defroster
IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATS, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE WALL OF THE END CAP CONNECTING THE HEAT EXCHANGER'S CORE TO THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM COULD RUPTURE AND ALLOW HOT COOLANT TO ESCAPE. SHOULD THIS HAPPEN, SOME OF THE COOLANT COULD CONTACT THE DRIVER'S FEET, CAUSING INJURY AND STEAM UP THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE, IMPAIRING VISIBILITY. CORRECTION: HEAT EXCHANGER WILL BE REPLACED.
Other
THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH CMVSS 215 - BUMPERS. TURN SIGNAL LAMP CRACKED IN IMPACT TEST.
Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING THE WIRING IN THE TRUNK CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS CONSUMER HAD TURNED ON THE REAR DEFROST FOR THE FIRST TIME. THERE WAS A CRACKING SOUND AND A STREAM OF SMOKE CAME UP FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR HATCH AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *JG
NHTSA complaint #8021548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING COULD SEE A LIGHT BURNING ON FLOOR OF VEHICLE . CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND SAW U A BLUE FLAME. VEHICLE STARTED FILLING UP WITH SMOKE. FIRE COULD NOT BE PUT OUT. FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT FIRE STARTED FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO TRUNK. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #880404 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CAR WAS PUT INTO DRIVE DIDN'T PRESS ON THE GAS CAR ACCELERATE AND HIT A PARK CAR NO INJURY . TT
NHTSA complaint #972547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING THE WIRING IN THE TRUNK CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS CONSUMER HAD TURNED ON THE REAR DEFROST FOR THE FIRST TIME. THERE WAS A CRACKING SOUND AND A STREAM OF SMOKE CAME UP FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR HATCH AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *JG
NHTSA complaint #8021548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING COULD SEE A LIGHT BURNING ON FLOOR OF VEHICLE . CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND SAW U A BLUE FLAME. VEHICLE STARTED FILLING UP WITH SMOKE. FIRE COULD NOT BE PUT OUT. FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT FIRE STARTED FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO TRUNK. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #880404 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 TO 45 MPH HEARD A SNAP AND THAT WAS ROTORS SNAPPING IN HALF, LOST ALL BRAKES AND STEERING. THERE WERE FIVE RECALLS ON VEHICLE THAT HAD NEVER BEEN DONE.
NHTSA complaint #874536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF MY CAR SUDDENLY BEGIN TO FOG UP. I WAS COASTING TOWARD A STOP LIGHT AND AS SOON AS I STOPPED I NOTICED ANTIFREEZE POURING IN FROM AROUND THE FIREWALL AREA. I WAS ONLY A FEW BLOCKS FROM HOME SO I WATCHED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND PROCEEDED SLOWLY- SOMEHOW KEEPING MY FEET SUSPENDED OFF OF THE FLOOR TO AVOID THE HOT ANTIFREEZE. I SUSPECTED THE HEATER CORE BECAUSE I KNEW THAT IT WAS INTERNAL TO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I REPLACED THIS MYSELF BECAUSE THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD CHARGE BETWEEN 600-800.00 FOR THIS REPAIR. THIS WAS THE BIGGEST PAIN THE NECK TO REPAIR BECAUSE I HAD TO REMOVE THE DASHBOARD TO ACCESS THE HEATER CORE. PLUS I HAD TO REPLACE THE CARPET BECAUSE IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANTIFREEZE OUT OF CARPET. NOW I KNOW WHY THE DEALER CHARGES SO MUCH!
NHTSA complaint #721312 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
THIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WITHOUT FRONT LAP BELTS, BUT DO HAVE SHOULDER BELTS. DEALER SAYS VEHICLE IS SAFE.
NHTSA complaint #837067 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
THE VEHICLE ISN'T SAFE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE LAP BELTS.
NHTSA complaint #830759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
CONSUMER HAS RECEIVED A RECALL LETER, AND HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #830091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
SEAT BELT FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #538287 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CAR WAS PUT INTO DRIVE DIDN'T PRESS ON THE GAS CAR ACCELERATE AND HIT A PARK CAR NO INJURY . TT
NHTSA complaint #972547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #968823 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.